


Make My Way Back Home (When I Learn To Fly)

by nagi_schwarz



Series: The Oppenheimer Effect [23]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: AU, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-09 13:35:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6909541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the comment_fic prompt: "Stargate Multiverse, Any, A happy ending to what could have been a tragic day."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Make My Way Back Home (When I Learn To Fly)

As Rodney was not overly fond of flying and hadn’t ever piloted an aircraft for himself (besides radio controlled helicopters sometimes), he didn’t understand the thrill of piloting a fighter jet at mach two or weaving a chopper through the air. He did understand losing something he loved, so when John asked him to come along to the airstrip to watch JD take his pilot test, Rodney agreed. JD had lost a lot in his life (his entire life) and if he had a chance to get part of it back, part he loved, Rodney would do his best to be supportive. He didn’t have to say anything, just sit beside John and let John hold his hand so hard it went numb. Evan and Cam were sitting side-by-side in the observation room with them, Cam grasping Evan’s wrist. John, Cam, and Evan were all focused on the little airplane JD would be piloting for his test.

The instructor, a cheerful woman by the name of Natasha, assured them that JD would pass with flying colors, that he was one of the most gifted natural pilots she’d ever had the pleasure of teaching. JD had stood before them, posture perfect, shoulders thrown back and head held high, and he’d smiled tightly at Natasha’s praise, but there was something shadowed in his gaze Rodney didn’t understand.

And then JD and Natasha were crossing the tarmac, and the plane’s engines began to roar, and it took to the sky.

John, Cam, and Evan took up a running commentary that Rodney couldn’t understand, about climb and altitude, about form and a bunch of other things that sounded made-up but were apparently vital to flying a plane. Rodney knew, in an abstract sense, that the three of them were pilots, had trained as part of the world’s most elite aerial combat force, but he didn’t really appreciate what it meant till he heard them murmuring to each other about all of the things a pilot had to keep track of at once, how JD was doing at it, how his younger, faster reflexes would and wouldn’t serve him, how his old battle reflexes probably baffled Natasha.

“Really?” Cam said. “You hit that switch first? I always hit it after I hit the -”

Rodney tuned them out, instead watching the plane climb higher and higher, then level off and begin to soar. He knew JD had to take the plane through several standard maneuvers, some non-standard maneuvers if he could pull them off - like that barrel roll that would certainly have made Rodney puke but earned applause from the other three men in the room - and then land successfully. It wasn’t a long test.

“They called him Batshit Jack O’Neill for a reason,” Cam murmured. “Look at that. Death-defying.”

“We’re all death-defying in our own way,” Evan said.

John shook his head. “I never would have tried that on my test flight. Natasha’s probably having a heart attack.”

“Nah.” Evan smiled like a proud father. “She’s used to his antics by now.”

John whistled. “See how tight that rotation was? He’s got great control.”

“Pretty sure he was flying while we were still in diapers,” Cam said, and he and Evan both winced.

While Rodney couldn’t begrudge any of the men in Casa Atlantica happiness, he wasn’t sure he understood the emotional dynamics of Cam, Evan, and JD’s relationship, and he wasn’t sure how much he wanted to try.

“All right,” Evan said. “Bring her in nice and easy.”

John lifted his chin, narrowed his eyes. “That’s not good.” He was on his feet, pressed to the window. “Is that smoke coming from the starboard engine?”

There was smoke trailing from the right wing of the plane. Evan’s face was ashen.

“How not good is it?” Rodney asked.

Cam opened his mouth to answer, but then the plane shook and shuddered, bouncing erratically in the air.

“C’mon, JD,” John said. “You can handle this. You can handle anything. You can -”

A fire truck burst onto the airfield, sirens wailing and lights whirling. An ambulance was right behind it.

“Dammit, JD, get her steady under you.” Cam’s grip on Evan’s wrist was white-knuckled.

The plane dipped suddenly, and Cam buried his face in Evan’s shoulder with a small sound like a sob.

“He’ll be fine,” Evan said, rubbing Cam’s shoulder and holding him close. Cam’s shoulders were tight with misery, and he scrunched in closer to Evan.

Rodney went to stand beside John, curled a hand around his wrist. John had a hand pressed to the glass, like he wanted to reach through the window and pluck the plane out of the air and guide it safely to the ground.

The plane bucked again, and John cried out, “JD, no!”

Rodney closed his eyes. He couldn’t watch, didn’t dare witness JD’s death.

And then John broke out in a cheer, and Rodney’s eyes flew open, and the plane, still shuddering and bouncing, swooped low over the airstrip, touched down, bounced a little more, and began to slow. When the plane finally stopped, personnel from the firetruck and ambulance swarmed it, as well as several engineers from the hangar. The cockpit door opened and Natasha tumbled out, looking shaken. JD hopped down after her, put a hand on her shoulder, spoke to her. She yanked him into a hug, held on for a little longer than was usually proper for an instructor but perfectly understandable under the circumstances, and then John was out the door, running toward JD, Evan and Cam on his heels.

One of the EMTs tried to stop them, but JD said, “Let them through. They’re my family.”

An older EMT, gray-haired, clapped JD on the shoulder. “That was some mighty fine flying, son.”

“He passed his test,” Natasha said, with a burst of hysterical giggling, “obviously. With flying colors.” She squeezed JD’s shoulder. “You’re a hero.”

John and Evan swarmed JD, wrapped him up in their arms and held him tight. Rodney hadn’t appreciated how slender JD still was compared to the rest of them till he saw JD enfolded between them, like a child between his parents.

“Don’t ever do that to me again,” Evan murmured.

“What, land us safely?” JD asked.

John ruffled his hair. “Scare us like that.”

“That wasn’t scary,” JD said, “nothing like getting shot down over - ow!” He rubbed his shin, winced at John’s glare, and then Cam rolled closer, yanked JD down onto his lap and held him so tightly that JD emitted a squeak.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Cam buried his face in JD’s neck and breathed deeply, fighting back tears.

“Me too.” JD smoothed a hand over Cam’s hair.

Natasha signed JD’s flight certificate with shaking hands and presented it to him right then and there. The firemen and engineers worked together to put out the flames in the starboard engine, and the smoke was thick and cloying, forcing everyone to move away from the plane. EMTs badgered Natasha into sitting down in the back of the ambulance so they could check her over; she was likely in shock.

Rodney hung back, keeping an eye on John, making sure he wasn’t panicking too badly, so he was unprepared when JD reached out and yanked Rodney down into a hug. It was only for a second, because Rodney had sciatica, but when JD let him go, he clasped Rodney’s forearm and met his gaze and said, “Thank you for being here.”

“Welcome,” Rodney said.

Then JD was on his feet, waving his certificate proudly. “You know what this means? Pizza! Or better yet - steaks at O’Malley’s.”

Rodney knew that the Old Guy and the rest of SG-1 were banned from O’Malley’s, but he wasn’t sure why, because he really couldn’t put any credence behind Daniel Jackson having started a fistfight there. However, JD exulted in his ability to eat there freely whenever he chose (and could afford it).

“Sure,” Rodney said. “On me.”

By the time JD had given statements to the fire crew, been checked by the EMTs, had his license signed and laminated, Cam was calm again. John, Rodney noticed, had been very pale despite his encouraging smile and praise for JD (who Natasha was calling the greatest pilot who ever lived), but the color returned to his cheeks once they were settled into the booth at the restaurant.

The waitress, a pretty girl named Beth, smiled at them. “Welcome to O’Malley’s. Special occasion?”

“This one,” John said, pulling JD into a headlock and giving him a noogie, “just got his pilot’s license. Did some damn good flying, too. Plane had a malfunction and nearly crashed, but he brought her in safely.”

Beth’s eyes went wide. “Oh no! I’m glad you’re safe! Can I get you gentlemen started with some drinks?”

Cam and John ordered beers, Evan ordered a glass of wine. JD pouted, because he was legally only nineteen, and ordered a soda. Rodney was fine with water - make sure there’s no lemon in it! - and Beth smiled at them, promised their drinks would be coming up in a jiffy, and hurried away.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Cam reached out, caught JD for a brief kiss. “Congratulations,” he murmured. “You have your wings again.”

“Thanks,” JD said.

“You should take us flying sometime,” John said. “You know, when you have a plane.”

“That’ll be the day,” JD said. “Pretty sure teachers cannot afford planes on their salaries.”

Evan’s expression was tentative. “You don’t have to be a teacher, you know. Be stuck at Memorial High School forever.”

“Cam couldn’t cope if he didn’t get to see my cute ass at work everyday,” JD said, and Cam laughed. “Actually, though, I was thinking of going to college. To be a teacher. I was thinking...kindergarten. It’s only half a day, and those kids can’t be more trouble than marines or a linguist, a soldier-scientist, and an alien general, can they?”

Rodney smiled at him. “It’s good to have plans for the future.”

“I’m not leaving you guys,” JD said. “I can go to college here in town. But I’m growing up now, right? Becoming a man. I should contribute to the household.”

“We appreciate you not being a freeloader forever,” Evan said.

JD sighed. “I’ll miss it, though. Endless time to play video games. The right to call you my sugar daddy.”

It was Evan’s turn to laugh. “Don’t care much for the whole ‘daddy’ thing, but I do like me some sugar.”

“After dinner,” JD promised with a leer. He winked at Cam. “Both of you.”

Cam blushed. Evan said, “You’re probably freaking out John and Rodney.”

“Congrats on getting your license,” John said, and he was blushing furiously.

“Thanks for not dying,” Rodney said.

“I could never do that to you guys. Not like that.” JD flipped open his menu. “Now, what’s the biggest steak they offer?”

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the Foo Fighters song "Learn to Fly."


End file.
